Patent GB-372767-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to automatic washing machines
IPC: D06F33/04
Filed: 1931-02-05
Abstract: 372,767. Fluid - actuated valves. BRITISH - AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY CO.; Ltd., Underhill Street, London.-(American Laundry Machinery Co. ; Norwood Station, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.) Feb. 5, 1931, No. 3698. [Class 135.] Valves controlled by pilot or relay valves.- Fluid-pressure-operated diaphragm motors 40, Figs. 1 and 2, are provided to operate the cold and hot water supply valves 23, 24, Fig. 1, four washing-solution supply valves 28, a flushing valve 36, a valve 34, Fig. 2, controlling the supply of steam for operating the injectors 14 which feed the solutions to the machine, and a valve 38 controlling the supply of steam fed to the machine for heating the contents thereof, and a fluid-pressure-operated piston working in a cylinder 20 is provided for operating the discharge valve 12. Admission of fluid-pressure to the six motors which operate the valves 28, 34, 36 and to the cylinder operating the valve 12 is controlled by valves which are opened by cams on a constantly rotating disc. Admission of fluid-pressure to the three other motors which operate the valves 23, 24, 38 is subject to three controls-that of the cam disc, a temperature control, and a liquid-level control. The valves V, Fig. 3, which control the admission of fluid-pressure from the branches 83 of the supply pipe to the seven pipes 86 supplying the cylinder 20 and the six motors operating the valves 28, 34, 36 and which are operated by certain of the cams 49 on the constantly rotating disc 41 are arranged as shown in Fig. 3 and are operated as shown in Fig. 11 wherein each valve is controlled by a plunger 62 slidably mounted in a stationary socket 64 and is pressed forwardly into the path of the cam by a spring 67. A spring-pressed plug 68 is slidably mounted in the plunger, a screw 69 passing through an axial slot in the plunger limiting the movement of the plug. The plug is provided with a radial extension 71 which normally abuts against the end of the socket 64 and is locked thereto by a latch 74 which carries a screw 76. The screw passes freely through the socket and extends into the path of the plunger 62. When the latter is moved by the cam 49 it compresses the spring 73 and, near the end of its movement, contacts with the screw 76 and lifts the latch so that the plug 68 suddenly moves rearwardly to open the valve 79 between the fluid-pressure supply pipe 83 and the pipe 86. The disc 41 to which the cams are secured is rotatably mounted on a shaft 42, Fig. 12, which is slidably and non- rotatably mounted in a bracket 43 in a casing 17 which is provided with a door 44 hinged along its upper edge. The disc is located between a nut 45 and a shoulder 42<1> and mav be removed and another disc defining a different formula substituted therefor. When the time required for the operation of such different formula is different from that required by the preceding formula a different sized pinion 52, Fig. 3, in the reduction train between the motor 59 and the disc is substituted so that the time of one revolution of the disc may still be that required for the operation of the formula. An indication of the time for which the formula has been operating is given by graduations on the disc moving past an opening 50, Fig. 1, in the door 44. The shaft 42 is made slidable in the bracket 43, Fig. 12, so that it may be drawn forward to move the disc 41 out of gear with the pinion 52 so that it may be reset to any desired stage in the formula. The shaft is locked in its normal position by a latch 53 engaging a lug 54 thereon, the latch being released by the head 57 of a centrally arranged sliding rod 56. Some of the other cams 49 on the disc 41 operate switches 87, 88, Fig. 3, which complete the circuits of the motors 16, 59, Fig. 1, which, respectively, drive the machine and rotate the cam disc. The liquid-level control for the cold and hot water supply valves 23, 24 comprises a gear wheel 93, Fig. 4, having an axially projecting cam 97 and rotated by a rack 92 operated by a float which is in communication with the machine. Spaced around the shaft 94 of the gear wheel are a number of stationary valve casings 96 each of which contains a normally open valve between a branch fluid-pressure supply pipe 98 and a pipe 99 leading to a port in the stationary element 100 of a rotary valve member 103. The stems of the valves in the casings 96 project into the path of the cam so that each valve is closed at a different angular position of the gear wheel which corresponds to a different liquid level in the machine. As shown in Fig. 2, five valves 96 may be used and the stationary block 100, Fig. 4, is provided with five ports. The rotary element of the valve 103 is formed with two radial bores 105, 113, Fig. 5, connected by an axial bore 104. The bore 113 is in constant communication with an arcuate port 114 at the end of a pipe 115 which leads to temperature-controlled valves which permit the fluid-pressure to pass to the diaphragm motors 40 operating the valves 23, 24 and the bore 105 is normally out of registry with any of the pipes 99 as in Fig. 4. When the rotary element is rotated by a variable predetermined amount the bore 105 registers with one of the pipes 99 the supply of fluid pressure to which will be cut off by valve 96 at the predetermined liquid level so that, until cut off at valve 96, the fluid pressure passes from the pipe 98, pipe 99, and bore 105 into the other pipe 115, Fig. 5. The rotary element 103 of the valve 100, Fig. 4, is rotated by the engagement with a pinion 106 thereon of a toothed sector 107 which is rotated about its pivot 108 by the engagement, with a roller 112 on its free arm 111, of one of the cams 49 the depth of the cam determining with which of the five ports in the block 100 the radial bore 105 shall register and so selecting at which of the five liquid levels, as determined by the settings of the valves 96, the supply of water to the machine through the valves 23, 24 shall be cut off. If the machine is required to operate at different liquid levels during different phases of the cycle portions of this particular cam will be made of different depths. The pipe 115 from the rotary, valve leads to two temperature-controlled valves 116, 117, Fig. 7. One or other or both of these valves are always open, the relative amounts by which they are opened being determined by a lever 121 which is pivoted at 122 to a setting lever 127. The lever 127 is pivoted at 128 to a stationary bracket 129 and its free end rests upon a cam 126 on the disc 41 the depth of which controls the relative amounts by which the valves 116, 117 are opened and so controls the temperature of the mixed water supplies since the valve 116 passes fluid pressure from the pipe 115 through a pipe 118 to the diaphragm motor operating the cold-water valve 23 and the valve 117 passes fluid pressure through the pipe 119 to the diaphragm motor of the hot-water valve. The lever 121 also operates a valve 120 which when open passes fluid pressure from the supply line 83 through a pipe 1201 to the motor operating the valve 38 which passes steam to the machine for heating purposes. The lever 121 is provided with an adjusting screw 124, and a diaphragm chamber 123 is connected by a small tube 125 with a bulb immersed in the water in the machine and sensitive to the temperature thereof. When the diaphragm chamber contacts with the screw 124 the lever 121 is raised or lowered according to the temperature in the machine. Specification 168,294, [Class 138 (ii), Washing, mangling, &c.], is referred to.